How to Start an LLC in South Dakota
We draft and submit your South Dakota Articles of Organization for a flat $199, separate from the state's $150 filing fee. Every South Dakota LLC also has to keep a registered agent on file — that runs $99/year with us, billed on its own.
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Registered agent is billed separately at $99/yr — every South Dakota LLC is required to carry one.
Putting a South Dakota LLC on the books is less complicated than people fear — one form, one fee, one agent, and a couple of yearly upkeep items. The state charges $150 to file, takes about a few business days to approve, and then your ongoing obligations kick in. Below: the formation sequence, every cost item, and the way our service slots into the process.
Launch Your South Dakota LLC — $199
Our team assembles the Articles and lodges them with South Dakota Secretary of State for $199. Approval comes back in about a few business days.
Launch Your South Dakota LLC — $199
The South Dakota LLC, Briefly Explained
An LLC is a registered business entity that legally separates the company's debts and lawsuits from the owner's personal finances. Throughout South Dakota, LLCs are the small-business form of choice — light maintenance, real protection, simple taxes.
The Numbers for South Dakota LLC Formation
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Our LLC formation service | $199 one-time |
| State filing fee (South Dakota Secretary of State) | $150 one-time |
| Registered agent (required for every South Dakota LLC) | $99/year |
| State annual report fee | $55/year |
$199 is our filing service. The state fee is collected by South Dakota Secretary of State. Statutory RA service is a separate $99 per year line.
Important South Dakota-specific notes: annual filing increased from $50 to $55 (online) effective July 1, 2025. $70 by mail. No state income tax. No corporate income tax.
How to Form Your South Dakota LLC, Step by Step
1. Settle on a Compliant LLC Name
Names of South Dakota LLCs must include an LLC designator (LLC, L.L.C., or the full Limited Liability Company), and they must be distinguishable in South Dakota Secretary of State's records. South Dakota Secretary of State provides an online entity search; use it to confirm your chosen name is actually available before filing.
Words implying banking, insurance, or government affiliation are restricted in entity names. Skip them unless you've already cleared the relevant authority.
2. Name a Registered Agent
Every South Dakota LLC is required to maintain a continuously appointed agent with an in-state physical address and reliable presence while the office is open. Anything you list as agent information is publicly accessible at South Dakota Secretary of State. There's no private filing option here.
Our RA service runs $99 per year in South Dakota. We take the public-record slot so you don't have to.
3. File Articles of Organization with South Dakota Secretary of State
This is the legal birth of the LLC: file your Articles with South Dakota Secretary of State after paying the $150 state fee. The fields on the form: the LLC's name, the principal office address, the statutory agent's name and address, manager- or member-managed designation, and the names of the organizers.
File online via South Dakota Secretary of State's filing website. Paper filings still work but add days to processing time.
Typical processing is a few business days from filing to approval. Paid expedite tiers can usually be added at additional cost.
4. Write the Operating Agreement
Operating agreements aren't filed in South Dakota, yet skipping one creates real problems with banks, members, and any dispute that comes up. The agreement defines ownership, distributions, management authority, voting rules, and exit procedures. No operating agreement means South Dakota's LLC statute fills the gaps, often in ways that don't fit how you wanted the LLC to operate.
5. Register for the LLC's EIN
An EIN acts as the IRS's tracking number for the LLC. It's referenced by banks, payroll services, and the IRS. Visit IRS.gov for the application. Plan on about ten minutes for the form, and the EIN appears as soon as you submit.
Paid services for EINs are a poor use of money — the free IRS application takes about ten minutes.
6. Keep Up With Ongoing Obligations
Maintaining the LLC after formation comes down to a few recurring obligations:
- Continuously hold an active designated agent tied to a South Dakota address year in and year out
- Turn in the state's annual filing by its due date every year
- Run the LLC with a true divide between business banking and your personal banking (separate bank accounts and recordkeeping)
- Stay on top of federal and state tax obligations every year
Missed obligations can lead to dissolution at South Dakota Secretary of State's discretion — at which point the liability shield is gone until you reinstate.
Want us to handle it? One $199 payment and we file the South Dakota LLC for you.
Start My South Dakota LLC — $199
Registered Agents in South Dakota
The South Dakota agent requirement is unconditional: every LLC, every day, agent registered. The agent must:
- Hold a physical street address in South Dakota (PO boxes don't count on their own)
- Remain available throughout the workday to take in service of process
- Deliver legal mail and state notices fast enough to preserve the LLC's response time
Many founders self-appoint as agent, not realizing the address becomes public. Everyone with access to South Dakota Secretary of State's public entity database can see it.
Our agent plan runs $99 per year in South Dakota. We're the address shown to the public; yours stays out of sight.
Common Questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in South Dakota?
$150 to South Dakota Secretary of State covers the formation filing. That's above the average state filing fee. In addition, the annual filing runs $55/year.
How long does it take to form an LLC in South Dakota?
South Dakota formations typically clear in a few business days.
Does South Dakota require an annual report?
Yes. Plan on $55/year per year for the annual filing.
Do I need a registered agent for my South Dakota LLC?
Yes, the agent rule applies to every South Dakota LLC: a designated agent based at an in-state address. From formation through dissolution, the agent must remain registered.
Can I form an LLC in South Dakota if I live in another state?
Yes. Non-residents can form South Dakota LLCs without any extra steps. (the one state-specific item is the South Dakota agent — our agent service at $99/year is the answer.)
Start Your South Dakota LLC the Right Way
DIY filing remains an option through South Dakota Secretary of State at South Dakota Secretary of State's filing website. $150 is the state's portion, a registered agent must still be on file.
Use our registered agent service and put our information on the formation document. Pricing: $99 per year — puts our South Dakota address on the public-record entry, sends scans the day documents arrive, and emails you before every filing deadline.
Start Your South Dakota LLC — $199
Want the agent service without the LLC formation? Our agent service on its own is $99/year.
Got other questions about South Dakota LLCs or how the agent service works? The FAQ covers most of it; otherwise contact us.
Ready to get started?
Enroll for steady coverage. The annual fee covers your office address, scans, and compliance alerts.